This is the first order that the Brazilian manufacturer has placed with SECO/WARWICK, a leader in vacuum heat treatment technology. It marks an important step towards achieving full independence and integrating in-house processes.

Founded in Joinville, Brazil in 1985, BTOMEC has long supplied multi-cavity moulds to the global cosmetics, pharmaceutical, food and packaging industries. The new investment in the SECO/WARWICK vacuum furnace is in response to growing production needs. BTOMEC previously relied on external hardening services, but limitations in availability, long lead times and rising costs, as well as the desire for independence, have prompted them to establish their own heat treatment department.

“This is a trend we see more and more frequently. At a certain production scale, many industrial partners begin to consider creating their own small hardening facility. Such an investment means independence from external entities and, above all, full control over the production process and its costs. SECO/WARWICK’s experience in developing technology for both small and large hardening plants, as well as extensive cooperation with entities starting their own heat treatment processes, makes us the technological partner of choice”,

said Maciej Korecki, Vice President of the Vacuum Segment at SECO/WARWICK Group.

Tailored Technology for Demanding Processes

The ordered furnace is a compact, single-chamber Vector vacuum furnace with a heating chamber measuring 400x400x600 mm. It is designed for the efficient heat treatment of dies. It is equipped with an isothermal quenching system with gas cooling of up to 15 bar and blower control via an inverter. This enables reductions in power surges and optimisation of energy consumption.

Thanks to its ability to operate in a nitrogen atmosphere and its partial pressure system, the furnace enables clean hardening processes without the risk of sublimation of alloying elements or contamination of the hot zone. The pumping system is based on reliable, proven components to ensure high vacuum quality.

“BTOMEC is a partner who knows exactly what they need – precision, reliability and repeatability. The Vector is a device that has proven itself in many applications around the world. We are pleased that our technology supports the growth of another company in Latin America”,

said Łukasz Chwiałkowski, Sales Manager, SECO/WARWICK.

SECO/WARWICK in South America

The SECO/WARWICK Group has had a presence in South America for many years, working with hardening plants such as Nitrion do Brasil, Isoflama and Supertrat, among others. Brazil is a particularly significant and rapidly developing market for SECO/WARWICK, which is why it is of particular interest to the company.

“Implementing our own vacuum furnace with 15 bar quenching gives us full control over the heat treatment process. We wanted to increase production independence and shorten the heat treatment cycle time for our dies. The furnace from SECO/WARWICK not only meets our technological requirements but also allows us to maintain the highest quality expected by our global clients. This is an important step towards our development and further internationalization”,

commented Wiland Junior from BTOMEC Ferramentaria e Usinagem de Precisão Ltda.

BTOMEC’s purchase of the SECO/WARWICK vacuum furnace is in line with its strategy of investing in technology development towards Industry 4.0. The company has already implemented a Mikron Mill S 600 UG five-axis machining centre with a grinding process and a Nikon-SLM 3D printer, and plans to expand its machinery park with new technologies, including a Metroton CT scanner from Zeiss. This investment in technology is another example of the kind of development taking place in the Joinville region, known as the “mould city” of Latin America. It demonstrates that local manufacturers are adopting global solutions in order to compete with European and Asian suppliers.

(Source: SECO/WARWICK)